


Karaoke Nights

by Michael_Demos



Series: DuckFics [2]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: M/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24173869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michael_Demos/pseuds/Michael_Demos
Summary: I took several pieces of this from what seems to be either canon I haven’t seen yet or generally-recognized fanon.
Relationships: Drake Mallard/Launchpad McQuack
Series: DuckFics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1743259
Kudos: 15





	Karaoke Nights

Drake could hear his boyfriend giggling as he pulled him along. He could hear muffled voices as Launchpad led him along, then the sound of a door opening and suddenly the noises got louder. Resisting the urge to remove his blindfold, the duck asked, “so where are we?”

“Not yet, DW,” he heard Launchpad say. “Just a few more feet- whoops!”

Drake yelped as his ankles hit wood and he toppled forward, catching himself on the stairs.

“Up we go,” Launchpad said, his large hands wrapping around Drake’s waist and lifting him up. Drake was set down on a smooth, cool surface.

“Okay, here we are!!”

There was a pause, then Launchpad removed the blindfold. “Ta-da!”

Drake was on a stage, behind the curtains. He turned to look at his boyfriend, confused. “What’s going on?”

“Well,” the larger duck explained, “you remember how we were singing the Darkwing Duck theme song last week?”

“Of course,” Drake replied.

“Well, I was thinking- that’s the only song I ever hear you sing!” Launchpad pressed something into the smaller duck’s hands and pulled a lever. As he took Drake’s hand again, leading him under the rising curtains, Drake saw a few dozen people in the audience. He figured out what was going on, and stopped, pulling his hand away. “No. No way.”

Launchpad turned to him, confused and a bit hurt. “What? Why not?”

Drake just shook his head. “I can’t.”

Launchpad laughed. “Sure you can! You were a theatre kid, remember?”

“Well, yeah,” Drake said, backing away from the stage, “but this is different!” He fought to keep his rising panic under control, pulling at his hair. “I can’t- it’s- Launchpad _, I can’t sing in front of a crowd, okay?!”_

“Oh.” Launchpad looked dejected. “I’m so sorry, DW, I didn’t know- it’s just that you always seemed so happy when we sang the Darkwing Duck theme song together-“

“It’s okay,” Drake interrupted. He forced a smile and returned to the stairs. Sitting down, he patted the step next to him, and was soon joined by his boyfriend. They sat in silence.

“...look,” he finally said, “you already know that I’m- well, that-“

“You’re trans?” Launchpad finished for him.

“Yeah,” Drake sighed. It was still hard for him to say out loud, given that his family didn’t like him being “imperfect.” Thankfully, Launchpad and his family had understood, and the McQuacks had quickly accepted him as one of their own.

“I’m not comfortable with my singing voice, by itself,” Drake continued. “With you it’s different, because it’s not just my really high singing voice, but I haven’t sung by myself since… I don’t know when. I guess I’m just being silly.”

Launchpad took his hand. “DW, it’s okay to be nervous-“

“But I _shouldn’t_ be nervous,” the smaller duck exclaimed. “I’m a superhero! I’m the terror that flaps in the night, I’m the left sock that always goes missing, I’m _Darkwing Duck!_ I don’t _get_ nervous, or scared, or insecure about singing alone!”

“Drake, you’re not alone.”

Drake looked up. “Buh?”

His boyfriend was smiling gently, and Drake allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. “I’m always gonna be here for you,” Launchpad told him. “Especially now, until and after you’re not scared anymore.” He pulled out a paper from his pocket. “I made a list of the songs we can do as a couple. You won’t be alone up there.”

Drake could see how much this meant to Launchpad, and he could see how much the larger Duck believed in him. “...okay,” he said eventually, returning the smile. “I’m ready.” He paused, then his smile widened into a grin. _“Let’s get dangerous.”_

* * *

 _“Where have all the good men gone,”_ Launchpad began, _“and where are all the gods? Where's the streetwise Storkules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need…_

_I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night, he’s gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight.”_

Launchpad locked eyes with Drake, smiling encouragingly. Drake ignored the audience. It was his turn now, and he was singing to Launchpad, and Launchpad only.

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light, he’s gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life!”_

Drake began to breath easier. This wasn’t so bad! _“Somewhere after midnight in my wildest fantasy,”_ he sang, reaching out for Launchpad, _“somewhere just beyond my reach-“_

Launchpad reached out as well, brushing his fingers against Drake’s.

_“-there's someone reaching back for me, racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night! He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light! He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life-“_

They sang together. _“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night! Up where the mountains meet the heavens above, out where the lightning splits the sea, I could swear there is someone- somewhere- watching me!”_

Then it was Launchpad’s turn. _“Through the wind, and the chill, and the rain, and the storm, and the flood-“_

Then Drake’s. _“I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night! He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast, and ge's gotta be fresh from the fight-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light! He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night! He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light, He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life-“_

_“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night!!”_

Amidst the furious applause that suddenly bombarded the duo, Drake lunged at Launchpad with an exhilarated laugh, leaping up to smother him with kisses. “Thank you thank you _thank you!!”_

Launchpad laughed. “You liked it?”

“I _loved_ it!!”

“Well, that’s perfect then- because I already reserved a song for us next Friday!!”

**Author's Note:**

> I took several pieces of this from what seems to be either canon I haven’t seen yet or generally-recognized fanon.


End file.
